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The Nativity Story
The Nativity Story is a 2006 biblical drama film directed by Catherine Hardwicke and based on the nativity of Jesus. It was produced by Temple Hill Entertainment and released by New Line Cinema on December 1, 2006. Plot The story begins in Roman province of Judaea with the portrayal of the Massacre of the Innocents in the Nativity. It then dials back a year before the massacre begins. A rabbi named Zachariah is making an offering in a temple in Jerusalem when the Archangel Gabriel tells him in a vision that his wife Elizabeth will bear a son. Zachariah does not believe him at first, stating that he is too old, and Gabriel tells him that he will be unable to speak until the baby is born. In Nazareth, 14-year-old Mary is farming when soldiers come to collect taxes. One man is unable to pay and, as a result, has a third of his land seized and his only daughter pressed into debt slavery. Mary, who is pledged to marry 32-year-old Joseph of Judaea, is visited by Gabriel told that she will become pregnant with God's son, whom she will name "Jesus". He tells her that God has blessed her cousin Elizabeth with a baby despite her old age. Mary visits her before the harvest, where she witnesses the birth of John the Baptist to Elizabeth and Zachariah, who regains his speech. Mary returns from the visit pregnant, to the shock of Joseph and her parents, who fear that Joseph will accuse her of adultery, a sin punishable by death by stoning according to the Torah. Joseph does not believe her claim at first, but decides not to accuse her but is still shocked and angry. That night Gabriel visits Joseph in a dream and tells him of God's plan for Mary's son. He finally believes and is ashamed of his earlier doubts. Meanwhile, Roman emperor Caesar Augustus demands that every man across the Roman Empire return with his family to his place of birth for the census. A direct descendant of King David, Joseph is forced to travel 110 kilometers (68 miles) across Palestine's rocky terrain from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the place of his birth. With Mary on a donkey laden with supplies, it takes the couple nearly four weeks to reach Bethlehem. Upon their arrival, Mary begins to go into labor and Joseph frantically seeks a place for her to deliver. There is, however, no room at any inn or home because of the crowds arriving for the census, but an innkeeper offers his stable for shelter at the last minute. Meanwhile, three Magi - Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar - travel towards Judaea after having previously discovered that three planets will align to form the Star of Bethlehem, which appears before them after a visit from Gabriel. The Magi visit Herod and reveal to him that the Messiah is still a child and he will be a Messiah "for the lowest of men to the highest of kings". Herod is shocked by this and asks that they visit the Messiah and report the child's location back to him, under the pretense that, too, would like to worship him, while in fact he plans to kill the baby for fear of a new king taking his throne. The Magi arrive at the stable where Mary is giving birth to Jesus, and they present the Infant with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Magi grow suspicious of Herod's intentions and return home via a different route to avoid him. Herod realizes that the Magi have tricked him and orders the death of every boy in Bethlehem under the age of two. Joseph is warned in a dream of the danger and flees to Egypt with Mary and Jesus as the film ends. Cast * Keisha Castle-Hughes as Mary * Oscar Isaac as Joseph * Hiam Abbass as Anna * Shaun Toub as Joachim * Ciaran Hinds as Herod the Great * Shohreh Aghdashloo as Elizabeth * Stanley Townsend as Zechariah * Alexander Siddig as The Angel Gabriel * Eriq Ebouaney as Balthazar * Alessandro Giuggioli as Herod Antipas * Nadim Sawalha as Malchior * Stefan Kalipha as Saint Caspar Category:Films Category:New Line Cinema films Category:Temple Hill Entertainment films Category:Biblical films Category:Christmas films Category:PG-rated films Category:2000s films Category:2006 films